Twitter opens applications for ‘blue-check’ verification

Twitter Inc. users with high profiles can now apply to have their accounts officially verified with a check mark as part of a revamped approval process meant to more clearly explain how and why people are verified.

The social network’s users can apply for the badge if they think they fall into one of the allotted categories — like sports, government or entertainment. Applicants must also be “notable” and “represent or otherwise be associated with a prominently recognized individual or brand” in order to be verified, Twitter said.

The “blue check mark” — which appears next to a user’s handle, and is actually a white check mark against a blue background — has long been used to distinguish well-known or corporate accounts from potential impostors.